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  • school absenses

    I just recieved our daughters SK report card. Was less than impressive and lots of areas to work on. The catch is there were 27 1/2 absenses and 4 late days. No big medical issues eiher or vacations out of country. Is it me over reacting to think somehing is wrong?I was luxky to have 2 missed days a year when I grew up.

  • #2
    Originally posted by fireweb13 View Post
    I just recieved our daughters SK report card. Was less than impressive and lots of areas to work on. The catch is there were 27 1/2 absenses and 4 late days. No big medical issues eiher or vacations out of country. Is it me over reacting to think somehing is wrong?I was luxky to have 2 missed days a year when I grew up.
    Next year if the child misses 27 days it will be investigated by the school. JK/SK are not required attendance but, grade 1 is and they will investigate what is going on.

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    • #3
      That is what i figured but after doing the math 14.18% of classes missed is alot right. is it something I should mention?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Tayken View Post
        Next year if the child misses 27 days it will be investigated by the school. JK/SK are not required attendance but, grade 1 is and they will investigate what is going on.
        At what # would they start to investigate. My daughter's report shows 13 absences, and 5 lates. I thought 13 was shocking, let alone 27.

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        • #5
          Schools deal with absence differently by school board to a point...

          especially in the early years and kindergarten is totally optional so nothing will happen at all other than a teacher may talk to the parent about it if they are concerned with the reason.
          Even in early elementary school, there is not much done unless absences are over 20 days or so then if there is a school counsellor they or the principal may inquir. At a certain point it becomes an issue for the attendance counsellor but other steps are taken first, response is largely determined by whether or not the school has policies and if there are staff to address the issue with the family. As a school SW I know that I usually check attendance records to see if any patterns or absences are becoming excessive. Usuall just check to see reason given and call parents to talk with them about the impact of this and if thre is an issue that may be addressed. For instance there have been families whose children missed huge amounts of school due to recurrent/chronic head lice, lack of transportation (kids need to be checked for reentry, done by appt at school with volunteer), financial problems etc. In this case it becomes a truancy issue as the Health Unit no longerconsiders it a health hazard and will not get involved. I work with families to seek solutions sooner hopefully it doesnt become truant issue a it really benfits no one.
          When I was going through a custody situation in court my son was in gr 1 and 2 and missing every other Monday bcuz of grlfrnd etc and my lawyer said judges dont usually care much until grade 4 or so, certainly the school never questioned it.
          If it continues to be an issue in GR 1 contact the school to find out their policy etc. there may be a person in the school that you can talk with about the situation, if it is significant. You should be able to access records from the school if you have rights as parent that way you can see if there is a pattern and be aware of it earlier. Speak with your lawyer if you have one.

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          • #6
            I find it funny that in Ontario at least we are pushing for all day kindergarden as it helps children develop. Yet nobody really cares if a kid misses huge amounts of classes.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by fireweb13 View Post
              I find it funny that in Ontario at least we are pushing for all day kindergarden as it helps children develop. Yet nobody really cares if a kid misses huge amounts of classes.
              That is a very good point.

              Also, I think it is even funnier that "expert" Custody and Access evaluators (Section 30/OCL) constantly write up these huge and expensive reports that outline the importance of the "neutral childcare" at this age level and there is no way to enforce it or even put it into a court order.

              The consistency of the "best interests" Rules are lacking across all levels of government. They are just a "sighting" in the CLRA and other Rules but, have no bearing on any government organizations... Not even the CAS, Schools, etc...

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              • #8
                In my opinion the "best interest" of the children idea fails because who actually can agree on what the best interests are for children. Just look at how many differing pieces of advice you get when you have a newborn... I doubt you would find a study that would say that its ok for children to miss all sorts of school at any age. I know there are circumstances but fighting with your boyfriend and having to run to your parents for a week, and taking her out of school so that I cannot pick her up on a friday should not could as a good reason to miss school.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by fireweb13 View Post
                  In my opinion the "best interest" of the children idea fails because who actually can agree on what the best interests are for children. Just look at how many differing pieces of advice you get when you have a newborn... I doubt you would find a study that would say that its ok for children to miss all sorts of school at any age. I know there are circumstances but fighting with your boyfriend and having to run to your parents for a week, and taking her out of school so that I cannot pick her up on a friday should not could as a good reason to miss school.
                  Excellent observation. The "best interest test" fails to have a logical assessment or any criteria that is grounded or cross organizational in government.

                  The "best interests test" should apply to all interactions and contact with schools, government agencies, health care system and most importantly law enforcement.

                  If we are expecting parents to live to an abstract test under good faith wouldn't it be better to have more cogent and tangible rules to apply for the "best interests test"?

                  Why we as a society leave the "best interests" of our most valuable asset (children) to a vague set of unidentifiable "rules" is concerning.

                  A more weighted criteria which eliminates the "emotional reasoning" that often gets applied to the "best interests test" needs to be legislated and not just for Family Law but, *CHILDREN'S LAW*.

                  Good Luck!
                  Tayken

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                  • #10
                    The fundamental flaw of "best interests" is that children (and adults) can thrive in more than one situation. Saying it is the "best interests" to stay with one parent doesn't mean the child will have a horrible life if they were with two.

                    It's analagous to saying that the child should live with the parent who earns even one dollar more per year. It is an arbitrary threshold to state that one situation will be inherently "the best." In most cases, being with one parent will have certain advantages, with the other parent different advantages, and with both there would still other advantages. Each can be "best" depending on how each possible advantage is prioritized.

                    We do not have a "best" situation in life that we all must target, and if we don't make it, our children are seized. But essentially that is what happens to the parent who loses custody over the "best interests" formula.

                    The phrase only makes sense in a limited application, that the children's interests should take priority over the parents' issues in a dispute. I suspect that was the original intent of it, but it has not been the consistant application.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Mess View Post
                      The fundamental flaw of "best interests" is that children (and adults) can thrive in more than one situation. Saying it is the "best interests" to stay with one parent doesn't mean the child will have a horrible life if they were with two.

                      It's analagous to saying that the child should live with the parent who earns even one dollar more per year. It is an arbitrary threshold to state that one situation is inherently "the best."

                      We do not have a "best" situation in life that we all must target, and if we don't make it, our children are seized. But essentially that is what happens to the parent who loses custody over the "best interests" formula.

                      The phrase only makes sense in a limited application, that the children's interests should take priority over the parents' issues in a dispute. I suspect that was the original intent of it, but it has not been the consistant application.
                      The flaw is the whole concept of "best" in my opinion. There is no real threshold for which something is the "best" and especially in the interests of children.

                      Your last paragraph sings incredibly true and should be what is at the heart of the considerations for custody and access but, you are correct (in my opinion) that "it has not been the consistent application" at all.

                      One would almost say the "best interests test" if given a "personality" by analyzing the case law surrounding the ontology it could be said it has an Axis II disorder of the personality in the Cluster "B" range.

                      As it often has suffers from (in case law):

                      A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. (by the courts)

                      Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood of the litigants.

                      Leaves everyone involved with chronic feelings of emptiness after having to try and apply it.

                      Creates inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, thousands of pages of affidavit materials, irrelevant arguments, false allegations, unnecessary calls to the police, et all...)

                      Creates transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms in custody and access evaluators and lawyers.

                      Good Luck!
                      Tayken

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